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Slingbox Tuner Turns PCs Into Portable TVs
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Internet, Misc. Tech,
For those of you who just can’t wait for another gadget to shift time, Sling Media’s Slingbox Tuner allows you to control and watch basic cable, including on-demand and and pay-per-view, on your PC or mobile device anywhere you can access the Internet. The Slingbox is also available in an AV model for your digital cable, satellite, or DVR system. Go for the Pro Slingbox and hook up with your entire HD home entertainment system (up to 4 devices), although you will lose your high-definition once you hit the Net. The Slingbox Tuner and AV models are available online and in retail stores at an MSRP of $189, while the Pro (pictured) goes for $250.
Read More 
| Sling Media Press Release
Gallery: Slingbox Tuner Turns PCs Into Portable TVs
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Quixon Unveils QHD-M23W Monitor
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, Home Entertainment, Internet,
Quixon has announced the launch of its silver QHD-M23W monitor. With a 23-inch LCD brightness of 300cd/m2, a 1920 x 1200 resolution, a contrast ratio of 400:1, and 10ms response time, it joins its previously released elder 30-inch, 2560 x 1600 WQXGA partner. It also features a component input in addition to its standard DVI and VGA ports for home theatre or gaming enthusiasts. The QHD-M23W weighs in at 7.1kg and goes on sale in Japan on September 27th for 89,800 Yen (~$771.)
Read More | Quixon Product Page
Gallery: Quixon Unveils QHD-M23W Monitor
Microsoft Offers Waiting List For Soapbox Beta
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Internet, Microsoft, Movies, Music,
Watch out, iTube. MSN has announced the beta release of Soapbox, their user-uploaded video service. Available on MSN Video, it joins their growing family of Windows Live Spaces and Live Messenger. With Soapbox, you can upload and share videos, seach through 15 video categories, subscribe to RSS feeds, and even rate and comment on videos.
Soapbox is available in the U.S. by invitation only, but plans on expanding in the future so that you can also invite a few friends to your Internet party. Users must have MSN IE 6 or later with Windows XP, or Firefox 1.0.5 or later running on Windows XP or Macintosh OS X.
Read More | MSN Press Release
Gallery: Microsoft Offers Waiting List For Soapbox Beta
Acer To Distribute PCs With Yahoo Startup and Toolbar
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, PC / Laptop,
If you like Acer, you had better like Yahooing, too. The two companies have partnered to distribute Acer’s next generation of PCs with a co-branded toolbar and startup page, and will set Yahoo as the default search engine. The usual Yahoo services, such as links to music, sports, messenger, and e-mail will already be available when you open your new PC or laptop. Links to Acer customer service and information on Acer news and products will be on the toolbar as well.
Acer begins shipment of the PC on October 1st to North and South America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. They will be developing country-specific toolbars with localized pages in Brazil, Canada (English and French), France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States (in both English and Spanish.)
Read More | Acer Press Release
Gallery: Acer To Distribute PCs With Yahoo Startup and Toolbar
Comcast’s VOD and CBS To Offer Eight Free Primetime Shows
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Home Entertainment, Internet,
Comcast and CBS have announced that eight of CBS’ primetime series will now be available at no cost through its VOD (video-on-demand) service. The shows included are CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: NY, CSI: Miami, NCIS, Big Brother, Survivor, Jerico and Numb3rs.
Previously, Comcast had allowed viewings for $.99 per episode on CBS owned and operated stations. These “free” episodes will now contain commercials sold by CBS. Available to all On Demand viewers beginning the day after network airing, they will be viewable for four weeks. Considering that you can already watch those full episodes without commercial interruption at no charge on the CBS Website (via innertube), us non-subscibers can go there to play catch-up or just survive until the reruns.
Read More | CBS
Gallery: Comcast’s VOD and CBS To Offer Eight Free Primetime Shows
New Tsunami Warning System Analyzes Hard Drives
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Internet, Science,
Ever since the 2004 tsunami, scientists have been searching for a better method to detect and warn us of upcoming earthquake-generated tidal waves. Austrian Michael Stadler may have devised an answer. Stadler has developed a program that accesses and analyzes data that comes from hard drive vibration sensors. Once the data is analyzed, it can be shared with other computers.
The program can ignore minor vibrations and differentiate between normal seismic and tsunamic activity. When “the big one” is about to occur, the system sends warnings to the other connected computers. Unfortunately, there is so much interest in the freeware download that his site seems to have crashed (no pun intended). Hang onto the link and try again in a day or two, or visit his suggested site of Dr. Eduard Heindl. Dr. Heindl has also created a warning system that can alert you by cell phone through a GSM network in any country at a price of EUR 9.95 (~$12.60) for a 1 month trial or EUR 29.95 (~$38.00) per year subscription.
Read More | Michael Stadler Website
Gallery: New Tsunami Warning System Analyzes Hard Drives
Amazon Opens Unbox Video Download Service
Posted by Yuan Zhao Categories: Home Entertainment, Internet, Movies, Portable Audio / Video,
As predicted and speculated, Amazon’s Unbox Video Download Service has gone live, offering full-length movies and TV shows they day after they are premiered. Apple, however, doesnt necessarily have to be worried quite yet. Unbox’s prices are a little on the high end of the spectrum, with the lowest priced films at just under $10 whereas recent releases are nearly $20. Prices on TV shows though match that of iTunes, available for $1.99.
Unsurprisingly, the downloads have a Digital Rights Management (DRM) scheme to them, but Amazon says that the videos are PlaysForSure compatible. Unfortunately, rentals are rather restictive. Upon download, there are a 30-day time limit to begin watching the video and after the video has been opened, it will delete itself after just 24 hours. The files can also only be played using Amazon’s Unbox Video Player, which currently is only Windows-compatible.
As a starting incentive and to celebrate their store opening, Amazon is offering a free video or rental with a $1.99 instant rebate on your first purchase.
Read More | Amazon Unbox
Gallery: Amazon Opens Unbox Video Download Service
The Good News: The NFL has announced that it will now stream the entire season (which starts this Sunday) of live games to fans over the Internet.
The Bad News: this service is only available outside of North America.
More Bad News: NFL Game Pass is not compatible with Unix or Linux.
Partnered with Yahoo’s NFL Game Pass, the cost is $24.99 per week or $249.99 for the entire 17-week season. Since DirecTV has exclusive market broadcast rights, the service will not be available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Antigua, or any of the U.S. territories.
System Recommendations:
- 500 MHZ or faster processor
- 512 MB or more RAM
- 16-bit sound card
- 64MB video card
- 300kbps or higher broadband internet connection
- Flash 8 PC
- Windows XP
- Windows Media Player 10 or higher Mac
- OS 10.4 or higher
- Safari 2.0 or Firefox 1.5 or higher
- Quicktime version 7.0.3 or greater
- FlipforMac 2.0 or greater
Try it if you are in North America and you get this scary message, “This service is not available in your location. You are attempting to access from a restricted territory.” Big Brother is surely watching us.
Read More | NFL Game Pass
Gallery: NFL and Yahoo Offer Game Pass
If you live in an area with long winters and tend to hibernate, or if you spend most of your time in the basement with your ‘puter, you might suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Symptoms include depression, low energy, irritabilty, carb cravings (!), low concentration ability, insomnia, even social withdrawal and reduced libido.
The Litebook may be the answer to your problem. It uses bright light therapy which involves regular (usually daily) exposure to an artificial light source at an accepted therapeutic intensity (> 2,500 lux). Exposure duration and distance from the source are set within certain limits.
Specifications:
- Size: 6” x 5” x 1” (15cm x 12.5cm x 2.5cm)
- Weight: 8oz. (225g)
- Impact-resistant ABS plastic injection-molded case
- Operates on AC (110-240v) and DC power with optional Adapter
- Low power consumption
- No UV Radiation
- UL certified
- Power adapter cord length 6’ (180cm)
The Litebook will become available this October at a MSRP of £199.00 (~$375.00). A battery recharger is also available for £235.00 (~$442.00). Occasional mild side-effects may occur, including headaches, a ‘stinging’ sensation in the eyes, and nausea, but we think that beats a 20-bags-of-Cheetos-a-day habit.
Read More | Litebook Product Page
Gallery: Litebook May Relieve SAD
Hitachi Introduces DZ-GX3100E Camcorder
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, HDTV, Internet, Movies, PC / Laptop, Portable Audio / Video,
Hitachi’s new DZ-GX3100E Camcorder was previewed at the IFA in Berlin. Utilizing what they refer to as “Movie Master Technology”, this DVD Cam with a 1.3 Megapixel CCD records straight onto DVD disk and SD Memory Card. Using a USB 2.0, you can connect it to your PC to download your videos.
More features:
- Utilizes 8cm DVD-RAM/-R/-RW/+RW Disc Media
- 1 Second Quick Start Function
- True 16:9 Wide Screen Recording
- High Quality MPEG2 Video Recording
- SD Multimedia Card Slot
- Digital Stereo Sound
- Recording Time: - 36 mins (Extra Fine Quality Mode) - 60 mins (Fine Quality Mode) - 120 mins (Standard Quality Mode)
- 2.7” Colour TFT LCD Monitor Screen
- Digital Still Photo Mode: Stores 1998 Digital Still Images
- Recording Mode: Moving (MPEG2) / Still (JPEG) / Audio (Digital Stereo)
- Disc can be used to playback on most DVD Players & DVD-ROM Drives
- Photo Capture Function
The DX has a MSRP of £349.99 (~$659). Check with Hitachi for U.S. availability date. I’m ready for my close-up now, Mr. DeMille.
Read More
| Hitachi Product Page
Gallery: Hitachi Introduces DZ-GX3100E Camcorder
